A YouTube marketing appeal to the emotional geek in all of us.

There is something inherently sad in the idea of waste. So when London Drugs set up a partnership with FreeGeek Vancouver to help collect usable older computers and keep them out of landfill, I saw an opportunity to have a little fun and tug on the heartstrings at the same time. As part of a series of videos I host for LD’s What’s the Green Deal initiatives, I hit some of Vancouver’s lonely alleyways looking to rescue some down-and-out machines. Director/Videographer Don Barnard shot and edited the spot, giving it a slightly desaturated look that fit perfectly with the melodramatic tone. And while we were definitely spoofing the maudlin NGO plea formula, there is a very real issue at the heart of reducing e-waste. Much of what is carelessly discarded or irresponsibly recycled ends up in poorer countries creating toxic dumps. So have a look and pass the video around if you can. The more people we can have dropping off workable machines at London Drugs, the better for all of us. (Cue schmaltzy violin music….)

3 responses so far ↓

LOVE IT! Plus, it reminded me of where I should take my old scanner, digital camera and hard drive. I actually went to the Trash-It depot by mistake… and couldn’t remember where the electronics recycling place was, though I was there once. Maybe I need to recycle my brain…